The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman - Chapter 85: Full of Masks

By chance, I’d found one of the coup conspirators.

The man was a beastman with a lion’s face and a physique nearly two meters tall.

Lions possessed such robust strength they were called the strongest among beastmen.

He was a fool who believed without doubt that he was the apex of demi-humans. Because he carried such ideology, he was manipulated by bad people.

“Luka? What’s wrong? You keep looking sideways.”

“No… I just found an interesting guy.”

“Interesting guy?”

Cornelia tilted her head.

“A coup ringleader. Can you see that tall man wrapped in rags?”

I conveyed only his characteristics without pointing.

Cornelia quickly turned her gaze in the same direction as mine. Completely naturally so as not to be noticed.

“…He’s there. He’s suppressing his presence, but I can tell. He’s really strong.”

“Yeah. Lion beastmen are probably among the strongest in this Zora Federation. He can use aura too, and even the current Cornelia would have trouble facing him.”

“Mmm. Being told that makes me a little frustrated. Can I attack him?”

“Obviously not.”

What was she planning to do to the coup ringleader I’d finally found? If we caused problems here, even our stay would be endangered. Rather, it would just be assault.

“I’m going to follow that guy now. What will you all do?”

“I’ll go with Luka.”

First, Cornelia answered immediately.

Next, Lucia and Sheila shook their heads.

“Sheila and I pass. We’d just hold you back if we followed you when we can’t use aura. I don’t really understand the sensation of suppressing presence either.”

“Right.”

“Understood. Then Cornelia, be careful not to be noticed.”

“Okay~”

The moment Cornelia answered energetically, the lion beastman turned on his heel. Perhaps having no more business, he walked briskly in a completely different direction.

Seeing this, Cornelia and I also started walking. Matching the lion beastman’s pace, never approaching but not getting too far either.

▼△▼

The lion beastman moved farther and farther from the White Tower.

Partway through, we purchased masks from a street stall.

“Masks? Why are masks being sold?”

Various masks modeled after demi-humans. Cornelia, receiving a fish-person mask, looked confused.

“They’re used for festivals and such. Different demi-humans handle festivals by district, so it’s probably consideration for that. Something like elections will be held soon too.”

The timing was good. Walking with these on, even if the lion beastman spotted us at worst, we could hide our faces.

I also put on the pig beastman mask I’d bought. I chose the pig because it was cute, but didn’t this look a bit stupid?

“Ahaha, Luka’s a piggy~”

“Your face is a fish too.”

We’d both bought weird masks.

However, this reduced the risk of being identified to the minimum. We continued following the lion beastman.

Since we were following the lion beastman while hiding among the surrounding people, he didn’t seem to notice.

But suddenly the lion beastman entered an alley. Following him there would definitely get us noticed.

“Ah, lion-san went toward where there are no people.”

“We’ll go from above, Cornelia.”

“Roger.”

The moment the lion beastman disappeared from view, I wrapped aura around my legs and leaped. Kicking off walls at a speed unnoticeable to surrounding people, I quietly landed on a building rooftop.

“The lion is… there.”

Found him. Walking straight down the dim alley road.

“Where is he headed?”

“Either to his companions, or just using a shortcut. Either way, we’d be lucky to gain even one piece of information.”

I walked across the rooftop while looking down at the lion beastman.

After a while, the lion’s figure suddenly vanished. I thought he’d turned a corner, but he disappeared so cleanly it was interesting.

“Huh? What was that just now?”

For an instant, I felt power similar to curses.

I glanced forward. In front of us stood one suspicious figure dressed all in black, wearing a cloak.

“…So you’re the one who hid the lion beastman with curses.”

“It looked like suspicious people were following him. I interfered.”

“Few beastmen specialize in curses. Who are you?”

Peeking from inside the hood was a suspicious pierrot-like mask. Not something sold in the city. The fact that he was deliberately hiding his face meant he was either a non-beastman demi-human, or possibly even higher—

“Sorry, but there’s nothing I can tell you. I’m not good at talking about myself.”

“I see. Don’t worry. If you lose an arm or two, you’ll want to talk whether you like it or not.”

I drew my sword from its sheath. Cornelia also drew her weapon.

“Good grief. How barbaric. Are you perhaps beastmen? I don’t think security humans could tail him without being noticed.”

I wouldn’t respond anymore. As the black-clad figure tried to retreat with light steps, I kicked off the roof and closed in.

“Tch! Fast.”

The frivolous voice vanished, changing to something serious.

The man hastily drew his sword and blocked my strike.

“Hmm. You can block my attack?”

Not bad.

But he couldn’t block the kick I followed up with. It hit his abdomen, and:

“Gueeh”

He made a sound like a crushed frog and was blown away.

We chased after him.